Ohio terminates coach Smith due to ‘serious’ misconduct

Ohio University terminated coach Brian Smith for cause on Wednesday, stating that Smith breached his contract by «engaging in serious professional misconduct and participating in actions that portray the University in a negative light.»

The institution did not disclose details regarding Smith’s misconduct. Smith, who finished his first regular season as Bobcats coach with an 8-4 record, had been placed on leave on Dec. 1 for undisclosed reasons.

«We strongly contest Ohio University’s justification for the termination for cause of Coach Brian Smith,» Smith’s lawyer, Rex Elliott, expressed in a statement. «He is stunned and disheartened by this development, and we intend to challenge this wrongful termination to safeguard his reputation.»

«Coach Smith is a principled individual who has provided outstanding service for the University. His only interests lie in the well-being of the players, coaches, and the entire Bobcat community.»

John Hauser, the defensive coordinator, has been appointed as the interim coach when Smith was put on leave, and he will guide Ohio on Dec. 23 in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl against UNLV. Ohio announced that the search for a permanent head coach will commence right away.

Smith, aged 45, was elevated from offensive coordinator last December following Tim Albin’s move to Charlotte. He secured a five-year contract extending through the 2029 season. Had he been dismissed without cause, he would have been entitled to approximately $2.5 million in remaining salary.

He began his coaching tenure at Ohio in 2022, after previous roles at Washington State and Hawai’i, where he played as an offensive lineman and served as a long-snapper from 1998 to 2001.